Centuries from Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin put Australia in a commanding position on Day 2 of the second Ashes Test in Adelaide.

The hosts declared on 570-9 leaving England to rue their dropped catches on the opening day of play.

England’s response suffered an early set-back when captain Alastair Cook was bowled for just three runs. Mitchell Johnson’s sheer pace got the better of the England captain once more, before the tourists finished the day on 35-1.

2nd Ashes Test: Australia vs. England at Adelaide

England 35-1 (21 overs)

Batsman

Dismissal

Runs

Balls

AN Cook

b Johnson

3

11

MA Carberry

not out

20

62

JE Root

not out

9

55

Extras

(lb 1, nb 2)

3

Bowler

O

M

R

W

MG Johnson

7

3

9

1

RJ Harris

5

4

3

0

NM Lyon

5

1

17

0

PM Siddle

4

2

5

0

ESPN Cricinfo

After an even opening day in Adelaide, Day 2 was anything but.

Friday’s play began after a minute’s silence to honour the passing of former South African president Nelson Mandela, and when it did start Clarke and Haddin put Australia in the ascendancy.

The pair were in confident form on the flat pitch, comfortably dealing with everything the England bowlers sent their way.

Clarke brought up his century before lunch off 175 balls.

But his impressive outing with the bat was finally ended when he clipped one into the grateful hands of James Anderson off the bowling of Ben Stokes.

His replacement, Johnson, was then sent packing for five runs, but no sooner had he left the field when Haddin collected a century of his own. The 36-year-old eventually succumbed soon after, sending a tired shot towards a diving Matt Prior off Stuart Broad.

But the damage had already been done. The Aussies declared on a total of 570-9, with Chris Rogers, Shane Watson, George Bailey and Ryan Harris all chipping in with half centuries.

2nd Ashes Test: Australia vs. England at Adelaide

Australia 570-9 (158 overs)

Batsman

Dismissal

Runs

Balls

CJL Rogers

c Prior b Swann

72

167

DA Warner

c Carberry b Broad

29

32

SR Watson

c & b Anderson

51

119

MJ Clarke

c Anderson b Stokes

148

245

SPD Smith

b Panesar

6

17

GJ Bailey

c Swann b Broad

53

93

BJ Haddin

c Prior b Broad

118

177

MG Johnson

c Broad b Swann

5

13

PM Siddle

c Prior b Stokes

2

9

RJ Harris

not out

55

54

NM Lyon

not out

17

26

Extras

(b 8, lb 1, w 1, nb 4)

14

Bowler

O

M

R

W

JM Anderson

30

10

85

1

SCJ Broad

30

3

98

3

GP Swann

36

4

151

2

MS Panesar

44

7

157

1

BA Stokes

18

2

70

2

ESPN Cricinfo

England now face an uphill task on Day 3 if they’re to turn the second Test around in their favour.

While a comeback is unlikely, the tourists will take hope from history. As Mark Mitchener and Stephan Shemilt of BBC Sport point out, England declared for 551-6 on this exact ground seven years ago and lost.

The tourists can only hope to inflict a similar fate on the Aussies, who now look like favourites to regain the Ashes.